The Igbo Man Is His Own Worst Enemy

www.chxta.blogspot.com

For the first time in a long time I was at Otigba yesterday. To say that I am extremely unhappy about the state of things there would be an understatement.

For those who may not know, Otigba otherwise known as Computer Village is the area bounded by Kodesoh Street, Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way, Oba Akran Way and Agege Motor Road. Some years ago I'd have proudly said that this was Nigeria's answer to Silicon Valley. There was a time that if you couldn't get something computer related in Otigba, then you definitely couldn't get it anywhere else in Nigeria. Software, hardware, freeware, OEMs, pirated stuff, there was nothing that you couldn't get at the beloved Computer Village.

Then the Igbo merchants moved in,

I spent a sizeable portion of yesterday roving around the place and didn't find a simple UPS adapter. The implication of my failure to find that adapter is that I have to cut wires to get some systems in the office to work. That is crappy.

But what saddened me the most is that the fellows that I used to roll with back in the day before I left for Abuja have all moved on. Sunny the guy who could get you any software is no more at his stand in front of Citizen's Bank, Erimona has closed his shop and left, Chinedu now operates out of VI, Tony is no longer there, ditto Epa. The only person whom I recognised from way back that remains (and she has relocated to an even smaller shop) is Gbemi. I asked her what was wrong, and she said it point blank: they couldn't cope with the competition presented by these Igbo dudes. They go to Taiwan and buy cheap stuff, then come back here and sell at rates that they (the computer litereate people in the yard) can't even begin to cope with. The only people who have survived from back in the day are Balogtek, Gafunk and Kavex, simply because they already had a defined clientelle of corporate customers or else they like Silicon Concepts and Pragmatic would have closed shop at Otigba and moved on.

The depressing thing is that these Igbo merchants don't know anything about what they are selling. They have no clue. I walked into a shop and picked up an accessory and the young man there couldn't even speak English. I was forced to switch to Igbo, and even then was shocked to find that he couldn't even tell me jack about basic information on the stuff he was selling. Does it work with operating systems other than Windows? What are the minimum systems requirements? Is it USB 1.1 or USB 2.O? The young man didn't know, and worse didn't give a damn. As far as he was concerned, "ha na ru oru", and that was what mattered. How pathetic!

This brings me to something that bothers me a lot about my ethnic group. I once heard a story of a man who was willing to sponsor a bright young chap up until whatever level of education the boy desired. But the boy's father refused. As far as he was concerned, the boy would be better off going to Jalingo (of all places!) to join his uncle in his shop. Last Christmas when I went to the villa, one of all these Nnewi boys heard me talking about going abroad for a Masters, laughed, shook his head and said "ndi umu akuo"! He drives an E-class, so as far as he is concerned he has arrived.

Nowadays (for quite a number of years now), the Igbo have on the average just been sending their daughters to school. Their sons should be in the market learning how to feed the family.

That is bullshit. The effects would not show now. We will all be around to see it in the next 30 years when Igbos become politically irrelevant. A lot of Igbo girls marry men from other ethnic groups because their kinsmen can't match up to them or connect with them on an intellectual level. An even larger number are opting to stay single because they can't find intelligent Igbo men anymore.

The Igboman is doing himself more harm than good by cutting out education. So says Chxta. Anyone with a contrary opinion, I dare you to air it.

though it is prevalent amongst the igbos, the worship of materialism is spreading in other ethnic entities. As chxta said, it will be more manifest later afterall the free education introduced by Awo in the past is yielding fruit now.

@Rhea

Thanks for pointing out the real issue here.  The problem is not the Igbo merchants but the complete break down of law enforcement in Nigeria.  Even in developed countries, merchant laws are highly developed and enforced to protect consumers.  The contributions of private investments in a developing economy cannot be overemphasized.  It's not the fault of the Igbo trader that Nigeria lacks a functional government.

You don't blame the Igbos for this, and mind you the Igbos now go to universities and other higher institutions more than any other ethnic group in Nigeria, you can verify from JAMB and NYSC. Imo state alone produces almost 20% of students that gain admission into universities in Nigeria.

In conclusion igbo people go to school,  from Bialegend's list above the ones that cannot afford it or don't want to go  to school go into business, what is wrong with that? It's better than being an Area boy or Agbero check out Lagos Island, and oshodi,  mushin you see able bodied youths doing nothing but mischief.

Hapu ha aka, ha na aru oru.

Bialegend l feel u !!!!!!!!

Tell them let them hear !!!!  I will advise you to lean your energy in criticizing the lazy ethnic groups in your beloved nigeria than waste your energy in talking about the enterprising in all aspects and unstopable IGBOS

In the 1900's there was a fight between an Intellectual who wanted black Americans to concentrate of education and a Businessman who wanted us to concentrate of Industry.

We went the route of the Intellectual. Worst disaster since "things fell apart". We were educating ourselves with bibles, waiting on the white man to allow us into good schools and colleges in any significant numbers.

In the end, we all know the businessman industrialists was right.

It was more important to have money in your pocket than to sit around being able to debate with liars about minutia that academics think is important.

My thinking is that Igbo's are smart to concentrate a lot on the money and some on the intellectuals.

Last time I checked, a smart broke man have more problems getting a woman than a uneducated rich man.

I ain't saying we some Gold Diggas. But we ain't messing with no broke Igbos. 

My 2 cents is now leaving the room.

Exactly. There was a thread on Nigerian entrepreneurs sometime ago and I tell you Yorubas topped the list. Most of the major movers and shakers of Nigerian business world are indeed Yorubas. Igbos are just plenty in business but they are not making any impact. So much for the hardworking clan and so much for the lazy ethnic groups.

What do you mean by the last time you heard?? , and what do you mean by someone here is saying the Igbo's are the highest??. Why don't you quit being lazy and confirm that your "someone here is saying"  by simply googling up the information or check it up on the JAMB website. You haven't heard for the last time, you will soon hear it again that Sokoto and Katsina are leading in the highest number of people admitted into your nigerias universities. You guys are better off with hearing and discussing anything anti IGBO, but when facts are presented against your biased sentiments, hell will let loose. Don't come here to mess around if you can't simply bring up facts or links to support your claim that Delta/Edo leads the pack.

Skidoc Wrote:
Duhhh isn’t it true?  It’s the fact! Don’t let your quest to defend your kindred blind your sense of good reasoning, ok??. The fact is that your kinsmen are shoulders high among the lazy folks in your nigeria. Embrace the truth. Can you confidently refute all these allegations?

Please o.allow my tribe to rest.

Na guilty conscience 

See this guy trying use reverse psychology on me.  Funny dude. It’s obvious you have no list to post because you really don’t know.  You’ve got no clue.


Yes, we are jealous. Hehe, I've listed a few things we are jealous of. Just scroll down a bit. Thanks.


Oh lol, it has descended to this eh? Ok, I agree. Thanks. We are lazy. It’s better to be identified with laziness than to be identified with fraudulent acts, swindling, internet 419, fake drugs, fake products (Aba na the source) etc.


If you are not blind and if your comprehension faculty is functioning properly, you would have absorbed the previous posts on this topic before jumping in. Go back and read, hmm?

Akolawole, What these children don't understand is that truth is bitter. Chxta was 100% correct about what he wrote. He is even an eye-witness. How many of these people foaming in the mouth have even been to Otigba Computer Village to see things for themselves? They just sit behind a computer in faraway Jand/Yankee and type rubbish. They don't know what is happening back home.

Children, where are you now? Come and display more ignorance here.

I'm not going to let you manipulate me. I'm too smart for you, dude! Try this on somebody else. I don't only have a list, I also have a URL link. But where is your own list? You've got none.
How do I know you have no list? You have previously agreed that indeed Yorubas probably top the list but you brought it down with the assertion that it's due to government contracts. You said that, didn't you?
If you are so sure of your own, why not post the list first? From my previous post, I threw up a challenge. I said post a list of notable Igbo entrepreneurs, then I will post mine, so ma twist e.
Who do you think you are manipulating? Ogbonkogbon wa lowo iwo omo yi sha. Emi lo fe lo fun. I no be mumu o.

I'll spare you. I honestly know you've got no clue. Igbo Kwenu!

That, like all the other points you have raised, is highly debatable 


Then show us.


I made it clear that there is a marked difference between genuine entrepreneurship (which is what we are talking about) and political jobbing. Now, if your list is composed of genuine entrepreneurs, why hesitate to post it? Have you lost all confidence in the list now that I have clarified the difference between those who sweat to make something out of nothing and those who wait for crumbs to fall off Baba Iyabo's table? 


Question: Did you ask me for a list BEFORE I asked you for same? Do not try to invert the process my dear man. You are beginning to look desperate  . Thank goodness the posts we make are all timed and all forumites can read the goings-on for themselves. Else, you'd have been arguing that you asked me for a list before I asked you for one. So, ma twist e.


Ha, ha, ha. If you like, invoke SANGO sef. You never start. I will keep you in the hole you have dug for yourself. Anu ofia!


No, no, no. Don't spare me. Stay and prove yourself right if you can. Are you now looking for an easy exit from the mess you created? Not so fast, mate! Show us that list that you have if fear no dey catch you. I am led to believe that the list you think upholds your argument is full of political jobbers who have never done an honest day's work in their lives. People who would sooner eat their own young than uphold the basic tenets of integrity. It's these people you want to use and pose here? Go on then. Post that list make I finish you. Nonsense and ingredients.